Efficacy of quality protein maize in meeting energy and essential amino acid requirements in broiler chicken production

Quality protein maize (QPM), with almost double lysine and tryptophan in protein, is no different from regular maize (RM) in terms of quantity of energy and protein. The objective of the study was to assess whether QPM can substitute RM as an efficient energy source as well as requirement of essential amino acids in poultry feed. Experiments were conducted to determine apparent metabolizable energy (AME), digestible amino acid values, and utilization pattern of QPM and RM in chickens. AME of QPM was similar to RM. Lysine and threonine digestibilities were significantly (P <= 0.05) higher in QPM than RM. Dietary replacement of RM by QPM at 50% or higher level significantly improved the body-weight gain. The overall feed conversion ratio (0-40 days) improved significantly in QPM compared to RM at 50% replacement level or higher. Abdominal fat content decreased by 40% and breast meat yield increased by 4.91% by dietary replacement of RM with QPM at 100% level. The protein concentration in serum increased linearly by increasing the level of replacement of RM by QPM. Serum cholesterol decreased significantly in the dietary group where RM was replaced by QPM at 100% level. Neither dressed weight nor giblet weight was influenced by replacement of RM by QPM or supplementing lysine to RM-based diet. However, the breast weight increased and abdominal fat content decreased significantly where RM was replaced by QPM at 50% level or higher. Our findings clearly indicated that feeding value of QPM was higher than RM in broiler chickens.